Gift of Ilah
by Nima Lotus
Summary: A thousand years before Sozin's comet, dragons reigned the four nations. They were led by an evil spirit banished to the mortal world, his goal was to hunt the avatar. Avatar Ilah is thrown into chaos as she discovers she is the avatar and the hunt begins.
1. Chapter 1

A millennium ago, there was an age of dragons. Xiang the soul eater and his brethren reigned over the four nations, dedicating his life to hunting the avatar and absorbing the legacy of souls inside them. No man, bender or no, could kill Xiang. Avatar after avatar died in hiding, protecting the line of avatars from ceasing to exist. Until, a single avatar rose up, and gave her life to allow the line of avatars to continue unhunted. This is the story of **The Gift of Ilah.**

**Forewarning: This was my first attempt at writing, and was written approximately 5 months ago. I was struggling with the tenses, but I've made a quick attempt at fixing them. If this story continues, the quality will be guaranteed to be much greater. I've also researched this series heavily to be as accurate as possible, but feel free to point out any discrepancies.**

A caravan that had seen many an age ricketed across a barely worn path, the patches of dirt that were exposed were painted with beautiful orange light from a sun threatening to set. Flowers dotted the green lush landscape, flourishing from the rich ash soil. The air was so mild it was causing all the family cargo riding in the back of the caravan to be lazily lulling about.

A ruffian boy, who has seen too many fights to count on all his hands and toes, buried his nose into an intricately painted map. He causally glanced up at his companions, his adoptive mother who was with child, and his sister who was exasperatedly tuning her erhu. They all fit snugly in the caravan, which was stuffed to the brim with cargo.

Ilah was snug between two new fascinating inventions stuffed with cogs and wheels. Shiro and his mother were tucked between a pile of two crates containing great artifact treasures. Such is life as a traveling merchant family, is what every member of the family thinks to themselves often. Shiro's father was out of sight but made his presence known with his whistling to the tuning of Ilah's erhu.

The dragon moose that pulled all their precious goods seemed to respond delightfully to every whistle, adding a kick to her step at every whistle and rocking the caravan. Little fauna added to the atmosphere of this family's travel, besides a few chiming cicadas in the great green valley before them.

Shiro gave an angry grunt in Ilah's direction, hinting at his currently wavering concentration. She looked at him blankly then back to her instrument, while their mother is immediately set on edge, prepared to diffuse any sibling rivalry.

"Sounds quiet back there." Their father shouted back at them, gruffly.

"Far too quiet." Noted his wife as she rubs her obtrusive belly.

Hell hath a pregnant woman scorned, Shiro thought to himself.

He strained to continue his concentration. Horribly out of tune music mixed with constant sharp noise.

Plunk.

Twang.

Twing.

Ilah flopped over onto her back, attempting to tune upside down, and looking very focused. Her knees began knocking against the contraptions she was wedged between, causing them to clatter and chime to the consistent plucking.

"You know, I HAVE to find where Shu jing is..." His mother placed her hand on his shoulder, albeit much more lightly than usual. She seemed happily surprised at his restraint.

Feeling proud of himself for his emotional bottling, Shiro gestures the map in a enthusiastic motion.

"Or we'll be sleeping in the caravan tonight."

Ilah looked at him, still upside down, Her face turning red from rushing blood.

"Your better at tuning this thing than me, you should be doing it!"

Their mother, Amaya sighed at her defensiveness and laid back in defeat, unwilling to deal with the oncoming stubbornness.

"Yeah, then how about you read the map for me- if you would be so kind!" Shiro snapped as he gestures the rolled up map in her direction.

Ilah flipped forward, knocking plenty of cargo over and injuring herself. She brushes it off after stifling a quiet oof and snatched it from his hand.

She tosses her erhu at him, rather hard "Thank you very much!" .

Shiro sits contently, watching her attempt to read the map. Ilah fumbled to open it, then turns it countless times in an attempt to find which way is up. She pressed her nose to the paper, looking very panicked.

"Not so easy, is it?" Shiro said smugly, as he plucks at her erhu to mock her.

"Shiro-" His mother trails off, highlighting her disappointment in his cruelty.

Ilah abruptly with an angry growl gives up and tossed the map in the air, scorching it with her fire bending.

She rolled and crawled to the back of the caravan and covered herself with a tarp, disappearing from view. Shiro made a sad noise as he rest his chin on his hand, surveying the burnt bits of his favorite map.

Their father chuckles from the front,

"That's more like it." ...seemingly amused in their sibling rivalry.

Amaya half turned her head toward her husband, brushing off his laughter.

"Its not funny Mao."

"Nonsense! Sibling rivalry is healthy. If two teenagers did get along, then I'd think something would be wrong."

Shiro crossed his arms and avoided his mothers judging glare.

Mao picks up on the lack of silence and chuckles again, "You remember even we didn't get along when we were teenagers!" Amaya warmed to the memory of meeting her husband and gives up her angry posture.

She pats her stomach and says quietly and sternly to Shiro,

"Don't tease Ilah about her vision. You know shes very sensitive about it."

"She ruined my map." Shiro mutters begrudgingly as he mindlessly tunes the musical instrument.

"Map? Maps are nonsense. In this family, we go where the wind takes us!"

The caravan tips forward a significant amount, most likely from Mao jumping up jovially.

The curtains hiding the front of the caravan to the inside rustle and toss from the obvious giddy dancing to their over enthusiastic father. Ilah giggled from under her tarp, and her mother joined her.

"I tuned it.",says Shiro in an even quieter and more begrudging tone than before.

Ilah untangled herself from under the tarp that was once covering a myriad of brass pots, then awkwardly dives to the front of the caravan.

"Let's get some music going!" She said with sparkling eyes.

"Brilliant idea my dear!" Shouted her father from the front. Shiro made a disapproving face at her immaturity.

"Now, maybe you two should apologize to each other, first." Amaya suggested while shifting uncomfortably.

The siblings made an unpleasant face at each other, then turn away.

"Sorry." They both said in unison, halfheartedly. Shiro gestures her erhu about her head and she took it almost timidly from her brother.

Amaya snuggles up next to Ilah, and then half yells back to her husband.

"How long until we reach a village, dear?"

"Bout a day. We'll be somewhere by morning. " He said lazily, as the curtains shift to show him leaning back, presumptively resting his legs on the rump of Toyun, their dragon-moose. He made a booming grunt while he stretched flamboyantly.

"What song should I play?" Ilah asked inquisitively, looking back and forth to all her family members. She wiggled in excitement, dying to make music again.

"How about,"The change of seasons"?" Amaya suggested, pulling a blanket over herself, nesting as the usual pregnant mother would.

"That one is too sad." Shiro commented as he slumps forward.

"What about "Butterfly Lovers"?" Mao shouted, significantly losing his volume control.

"Yeah!" Ilah bounced, incredibly excited to play her favorite song. She stumbled to the top of a pile of crates.

"Shiro, gimme a beat!" She pointed at him enthusiastic as she struggled to sit comfortably and hold her erhu. "

Shiro complied, and rather cheerily began tapping his boots. Ilah closed her eyes and rocked back and forth to the beat for a brief second before playing. Her bare toes wiggled to the tune she played.

Their mother seemingly played opossum, neglecting the song's queue for her singing to begin by pretending to sleep.

Everyone else was very content with what sounds are being made, and play until the sky turned red, purple and other spectacular colors that come with a setting sun. A great feeling of content washed over the jubilant travelers, each feeling some form of satisfaction. Mao, a feeling of pride for his family. Shiro, content with calming music and the sweet night air beginning to drift in through the caravan curtains.

Ilah, content that everyone enjoys her playing and bemused with the beautiful view out of the back of the caravan she has while perched on her crates. Still, despite her mild contentment, anxiousness bit at her, as it usually does. The looming dark clouds, the foreign territory to her and her family, and 'tis the season for village burnings. Defying all her worries, she still fell asleep, curled up like a bearded cat on a old monk's windowsill, with her erhu dangling out of her hand.


	2. Chapter 2

A soft warm light cascaded across the room as Ilah slowly crept back into consciousness. Fire crackled only mere inches from her face. She was laid to rest in front of a fireplace, on sooty wood flooring. Sitting upright, her eyes take in the room. Harsh shadows overwhelm the back of the room, enveloping the figure that was her mother resting on the bed, with her father coiled around them. The room isn't much, a cherry wood table, a tattered old rug, some chairs, and then a single bed.

Ilah looks to her side, only to jump in reaction that Shiro is sitting beside her, digging his knife into a wood carving. "You know, you're really heavy. " he mentions casually.

Wiping soot from the corner of her face, Ilah settles from the shock and unwove her legs from the blanket draping her to stand.

"You look really light since you're such a pipsqueak, but you weigh about as much as lion turtle." Shiro says, bouncing his shoulders with a single laugh. He stretches his neck uncomfortably.

"You had to sleep beside me, huh?" Ilah pops up to her feet, feeling very refreshed, although a little sore.

Shiro sighs as he nearly nicks himself with his knife,"We could only afford a one bed room." .

Then he looks away from his figure to add,

"Oh, and its your turn to cook dinner. Mom is too weak."

Ilah glances to her father cuddling Amaya. He might not even be sleeping, only resting with her to comfort her. Ilah feels a stirring of pride, for having such a kind-hearted man as her father.

"You think she'll have the baby soon?" Ilah asks curiously.

"Probably. Right here in the village, too." Notes Shiro. "She looks like she's about to pop!"

Ilah fluffs out her skirt, and straightens her sash before heading to the door.

"I better get shopping for dinner, then." She says over her shoulder, hand resting on the doorknob of the room door.

"Wait... One more thing." Shiro flashes a con-man smile at her.

He points a thumb at the now dwindling, weak fire in the fireplace. "Mind helping out the fire?"

"Oh." Ilah says flatly, disappointed in his request. She was never fond of having to use her bending for daily tasks like most benders used theirs, even her own mother does the same.

"I'm glad to know my special, all-powerful gift can help keep you warm." She snaps, crawling to her knees in front of the hearth.

Raising her arms, she curls her fingers. Her whole arm shakes as she slowly raises her palm upwards, forcing the flames to lift themselves higher. The fire squirms, tosses, and flails as it grows to the edges of the fireplace. Shiro tosses his wood carving into it, and it is gladly consumed by the flames. Even if she knew she was a bender since a young age, she still struggles to maintain the tiniest flame in her hands. Growing fire is her best talent, although still the easiest task for a fire bender to do.

"Big baby can't handle being cold" Ilah mutters under her breath.

Shiro lays back in contentment, and begins humming happily, as if mocking her.

She rises, and takes off out the door in a huff. Storming through the hallway, and down through a bustling tavern, she feels shocked as soon as her body reaches the outside air. Its freezing cold, and dark out.

Ilah now realizes why Shiro desired the fire enough to ask her to do something she loathes. After a quick visit to their parked caravan, resting outside the nearby stables, she clutches an empty basket in her hands with several silver pieces in tucked into her top.

From the front of the inn they are staying, it looks like the town square is direct north. Houses and shops surround the path to the square, along with flowing water canals along the edges of the street. Lanterns cast shadows in varying directions as Ilah strolls to the fountain directly ahead.

Circling the tower of gushing water are various market stands. Some still open, despite it being either very late or very early. Ilah gathers her salesman confidence and approaches a woman's stand of fresh vegetables.

The word "vegetables" is painted on a cloth draping the stand, while baskets of various leaks, sprouts, tomatoes and bok choi rest on top of the stand, almost concealing the seller from view. On her tiptoes, Ilah can see she is holding her head in her hands. Perhaps she's tired, Ilah thinks.

Ilah asks with an encouraging, peppy tone in her voice,"How much for Three leeks?"

Just take them. They're free now." says the market women, meekly, head still in her palms. Her voice sounds... close to death.

These must be getting old or something, so she has to get rid of them. She loads up her basket, but not in a greedy sort of way.

Still, Ilah feels compared to ask anyway.

"Why are they free?"

"We'll all be dead before day break, anyway." The woman lifts up her head, revealing a deathly pale face. Her eyes are bloodshot from crying.

"W-what?!" Ilah stammers.

The woman lowers her head, but raises her arm to point toward the mountains. She bursts into sobs, and rests her head in her free hand.

The surrounding mountains are almost purely black, barely illuminated by a weak moon. But at the peak of each mountain, there is a soft orange glow.

Beacons. Lit beacons, all lit from the western edge of the mountain. Stopping at the mountain that rests directly north of the village.

A crushing feeling envelopes Ilah's chest. She's never seen the beacons actually lit, but she knows what that means. The horde is coming, and their target is this village. Villages are selected annually for burnings, in hopes to reveal the avatar from hiding. Thousands of dragons will blot out the sky before the sun even rises. In every village burning ever, all the inhabitants are killed. None are spared. And this should be no different.

The basket in Ilah's grip falls to the ground.

We're going to die, Ilah thinks. My whole family. We're all going to die.


	3. Chapter 3

Ilah falls to her knees, overwhelmed with dread. Panic floods her stomach, causing her to wretch, but nothing comes from her empty stomach. Her first instinct is to tell her family- but what good would that do? More stress on her mother, who is almost due to give birth. They can't kill a woman with child so coldly, can they?

Tears flow from Ilah's eyes, and she stands to choke out a few words.

"My mother is about to have a baby."

The stall keeper looks up, with a new flash of fear in her eyes. She bites her lip and tries to take a deep breath, but her breathing is still shallow and uneven.

"Take her to the fire sage temple. They might protect her..." She buries her head in her hand, not crying anymore. Her eyes are instead wide, peaking through her fingers.

If I'm going to die, I have to at least save my mother, Ilah thinks as she hauls herself up the path and back to the inn. She pauses at the middle of the floor in the tavern, and realizes that before it was not jubilant, full of happy people like she remembered. It was bitter and sullen with people trying to drink themselves to death.

All of Ilah's body, and her thoughts as well, were numbing as if her entirety was submerged in an iceberg. Standing at the door of their room, she pokes her head in and hisses loudly at Shiro, trying with all her might to not wake her mother. Shiro is splayed across the fireplace, nearly asleep and draped in a blanket. But with a single psst, he springs awake and ready to attack. He is, and has always been, far too paranoid and jumpy for his own good. His eyes snap toward Ilah's ghostly face in the frame, and he looks very puzzled for a few moments.

Making a waving motion with her hand, Shiro understands after a few too many seconds of thinking.

He jumps up to join her, and she grabs his wrist with an iron grip as soon as the door is closed. He doesn't complain, but the pain shows on his face.

I have to be the way he finds out, or else he'll go insane, Ilah schemes. She escorts him outside with a run, and he keeps up, grateful to stretch his legs. She drags him around the side of the stables, and pulls him into the caravan of tied down goods.

Tears begin streaming down her face, as Shiro awkwardly positions himself between two piles of cargo, and she perches on the top of a barrel. Ilah is struggling to breathe, but manages to form a few words.

"The beacons are lit."

Even in nearly pitch dark, Ilah can see Shiro's face fall. He doesn't quite get it at first.

"W-what do you mean?"

"This village is going to be burnt down, very soon." Ilah's voice quivers, almost inaudible.

Shiro looks around, craning his neck to see the mountains behind him. He sees them, and no longer believe this to be a trick or anything of the sort.

"We have to get out of here!"

Ilah begins sobbing. He doesn't understand. He was adopted from the earth kingdom, and exported to the fire nation earth kingdom colonies long ago. He doesn't know.

Instead of speaking through sobs, she shouts angrily, "THERE IS NO RUNNING, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?"

She catches herself, and the tears stop altogether. Her voice still quivers, though.

"Each beacon is lit by dragons patrolling the area. They pick you off if you try to run." A single tear runs down Ilah's cheek now. "Besides, with our mom, we couldn't run far."

Shiro wipes the tear from Ilah's cheek with her thumb, and then pulls her into a tight hug. His breathing struggles in tune with Ilah's. Ilah could swear she felt something damp on her shoulder, as if he was crying with her.

Shiro speaks in a new vulnerable, weak voice,"What do we do...?"

Still locked into a hug, Ilah whispers into his ear,"We can see if the fire sages will protect Amaya."

"They hunt them first, though..." Shiro's voice now quivers as well, with fear.

"It's the best we can do for her." Ilah says, pulling away from their hug.

As they walk toward the temple, lights begin to dot the sky. Burning orange lights, that aren't beacons. Twirling lights, launching into the sky. Prayer lanterns. Shiro stops at the town square, never seeing such a thing before. The burning light illuminates the sky so much, it seems as if it was sunrise already.

Ilah looks to the left to see the stall owning woman to be lighting one herself, and tossing it upwards to the sky.

It's a breathtaking sight to see thousands of lanterns to twirl and dance with the wind. Almost hope restoring. But it is merely a distraction of what comes in the morning. Ilah takes off without Shiro, telling herself that she'll light one herself when this is all sorted out.

He catches on and sprints to follow in her footsteps. Stairs loop around a small hill, winding the both of them. But at the top lies the Fire Temple, home of the fire sages in this city.


	4. Chapter 4

Entering the temple, they are both overwhelmed with the overpowering scent of incense. No sages can be seen, but a single servant rests her head on the altar in the center of the great crimson hallway. Tall pillars hold dishes of fire or incense in each. Shiro disappears in search of a fire sage with the utmost urgency, disappearing between towering stone pillars and satiny drapes that reach the floor. If the place is of stone, then at least it won't burn with the rest of the buildings, Shiro thinks as he untangles himself from a rogue drape.

Ilah cautiously approaches the servant to see she is deep in prayer, face paint that was once on her cheeks is now washed away from tears. She timidly tries to rest a hand on her shoulder, and the woman snaps up.

"Oh...please..." She struggles to say then breaks down. Between sobs she manages to spit out,"Don't...let me... dist-sturb your vi-hstt..."

Ilah feels pity for the woman when seeing her filled with such anguish. She feels the same, but is bottling it away until the right time to release it.

"Would you please... Pray with me?" The servant asks, shyly.

Ilah isn't sure what to pray to at all, but regardless she takes the woman's hand and they bow into a deep, begging bow.

What do I pray for? To the sun spirit, so the sun never rises? To the moon spirit, so that it never lets the sun raise? Or do I just pray to my little brother or sister, so they know what is to come? Her confusion was overpowering her thoughts.

"Please, someone guide me." Ilah begs.

For a while, Ilah lays there, hands enveloped by the servant woman's. Her pale frame and long black hair, half draped on the alter doesn't move an inch. She must have a very intricate prayer. Absorbing the scent of the incense, and the soft sobbing of the woman, Ilah feels at peace, despite her oncoming doom. Her body begins to feel as if it's drifting, and Ilah realizes she must be slipping into sleep. But not like any sleep she's ever felt, more of a trance. Still, she welcomes it. Despite her being so well rested, she feels as if she hasn't slept in a century.

Clouds drift about her, and the world is a soft white. She rolls to her back, enjoying the beautiful scenery. Streams of invisible water flow along the shape of her body, carrying sweet, tiny flowers. Ilah scoops up one in her palm and absorbs the scent. Almost real. Then, a horribly warped figure appears before her. She inhales sharply from fear, but decides to ignore it after regaining her composure. It is her dream, after all.

Then, the figure speaks. Booming with thousands upon thousands of voices layered upon each other. All powerful. All knowing. God-like.

Ilah covers her ears and rolls to her side, trying hard to focus on the beautiful flowers. I'm not afraid, she thinks. Don't bother trying to scare me.

The figure of the voice rattles her to the core, but she is determined to ignore it. But limited few words slip through into her mind, bypassing her ears altogether.

**_You... will die. All will be lost. Unless I intervene. I will control your body and save you._**

The figure swoops down, and Ilah sees thousands of malformed, distorted faces flashing on the figure's head.

**_Cling to your spirit, or you will be lost._**

Ilah wakes, screaming, eyes flashing, body trashing. She struggles to regain her breath. The women backs away in horror, and several footsteps break into a run a far distance away. Swirling figures form before her eyes. Shiro kneels before her, as well as another fire sage. He seems much less afraid of this event than either of them, as his expression is stoney. After Shiro and Ilah lock hands, the fire sage is sure she is alright.

He turns away, and says, "Bring your mother here in the morning." before walking away in what Shiro thought to be in an 'exceptionally rude' manner.

"We'll have to tell them." Ilah says, wide-eyed with a choking throat as Shiro pulls her to her feet.

"Yeah, I guess we will." Shiro sighs in a crestfallen way.

They begin walking to the mouth of the temple. Ilah looks for the servant woman, but she must have taken off while Ilah had that... fit. Just a nightmare, she thinks.

"If they are going to guard our mom, then what can we do to help ourselves?" Ilah asks Shiro, tugging on his sleeve, her thoughts buzzing with a million thoughts at once

Shiro's voice becomes a booming deep note of confidence.

"We can fight."


	5. Chapter 5

A quivering hand lets go of the single twirling light, a prayer for her family and her life. The floating lantern drifts away from the crowded limestone bricked balcony, disappearing into a speckled night. The lantern's guide turns to her family with tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Their expressions of such dread and anxiety strangle her chest and claw at her throat.

She dives into the arms of her expectant mother, as they weep quietly together. A scrawny hand rubs her back but she clings tighter to her mother for comfort. "Ilah..." She turns her head to look at her brother from the corner of her eye, still clutched tightly to her mother.

She sniffs in a half-hearted reply while blinking away wandering tears. Her brother pauses as he withdraws his hand, contemplating with a stern expression, then weaves himself into his mother and Ilah's arms. The family huddles together with new found comfort, although an ambiance of fear still hangs in the air.

Clicks of freshly tempered shin plates fade into the room, as their father beams with a proud expression at his family. He grinds his dagger against a stone while the family huddle disperses apart. With a short sweep he trims his beard to half its length, letting the remains fall to the floor.

"Ilah, you're built for an archer, or a shield-maiden." Her father announces. "But I have no time to train you in the art of Archery." He gestures a shield with a fire nation insignia painted on the front towards her. She takes it, hands trembling. She begins to speak, but her father interrupts her.

"I know your bending is weak, but it is more powerful than any steel or iron we could use against these things."

Ilah pulls the shield to her chest, half hiding her face from view as fear glimmers across her face.

"And Shiro. Well, You already know how to fight with your fists."He says, putting a hand on Shiro's shoulder. Him and his mother smile, although his mother's smile is a very grim one. "But, I know your second favorite is the halberd." He beams at Shiro, handing him an axe-like, serrated spear that was hanging across his back. Shiro traces the sharp edges with the edge of his finger, fascinated with the weapon.

"That'll be... worth more than half our cargo."

"Not that it matters now." Their father says this, rather giddy. Everyone is confused, but they have no time to confront his strange behavior. The lanterns outside are now fading into the warmth of the rising sun. Morning comes.

The walk to the temple is sullen. The town square is now filled with soldiers. Not even soldiers, just men able to fight. Boys too young to even held the hand of a pretty little lass. Men old enough to see their wives pass on to the spirit world before themselves.

Despite their father being heavily borne with armor, he guides his wife with a firm grip. She struggles down up the stairs leading to the temple, causing a servant waiting at the top of the stairs to rush to help. Ilah and Shiro hang behind, barely able to keep up with their heavy equipment. Their father's face that greets them is flushed pale as the servant escorts their mother to safety.

"We'll defend the sages temple from the courtyard."

"Its the best we can do."


	6. Chapter 6

Relaxed breath is scarce among the trio. Surrounded by bushels of guards, looking equally as uneasy. Some darted back and forth, attempting to fortify the temple from harm. Fruitless efforts, but its the least they could do. They still enacted the meager crumbs of hope.

Ilah huddled uncomfortably close to Shiro, causing him to sweat much more than he should have. For a while, all anyone can bear to do was stand frozen, waiting anxiously for dawn. As soon as splashes of orange poured across the horizon, a black cloud was visible to the south.

Not a cloud that bared rain, but one that bared fire, gnashing teeth, and claws. A swarming horde of over a thousand dragons. The ominous symbol of dread curled and churned threateningly above a distant mountain, not making any advances toward the town- as if contemplating something.

At this point, Ilah clinged to her brother's arm, which he unwillingly submitted to. Their father griped each of their shoulders in a feeble attempt to comfort them, but he himself was overwhelmed with terror.

All eyes were carefully locked as black wisps of the cloud broke apart from the greater mass and began drifting lazily closer.

Twisting serpents in the sky, perhaps a group of twenty, encroached threateningly upon the city. A select group assigned to pick at the city, torture the few sages that offer themselves to the creatures, in order to try to find the location of the avatar.

Ilah glanced to a line of them, standing proudly outside the temple. Offering themselves freely, in order to hopefully spare the inhabitants inside.

"So ready to face death..." Ilah mutters with a quivering voice. Her father tightens his grip on her shoulder, sensing her tears welling up in her eyes.

"Ilah. Tears never solved anyone's problems." He said, uncharacteristicly stern. "Be brave."

Shiro glanced at Ilah, looking surprisingly meek. Even fear had shown in his eyes.

Ilah's knees began to buckle as the foggy twisting ribbons in the sky became more clear to her.

The closest shape began blooming fire, tossing it across houses at the opposite edge of the town like waves. Everyone around Ilah assumed defensive positions, but she stood, limp, and numb.

I'm going to die, she thought. She wiped angrily at the tears pouring down her cheeks.

Two more dragons had landed, one in the town square, even closer than the other, but not nearly close enough to the small army waiting at the temple.

The one that decided to attack the temple first swirled above in a whirlwind of its long tail, flashing its shining blue scales menacingly.

No one had ever seen one of this breed up close before- doing so would mean certain death.

_Dragons always guarantee certain death._

It landed like the swiping of a blade, fast, and sharp; growling menacingly, it began gnashing at the few armed men that stood their ground in front of the fire sages, who began tossing fire at them in defense.

The trio began darting toward their target in a timid alliance, when another dragon collided with the ground just before them.

Its whiskers whipped around violently as it bared its teeth, daring them to attack. Ilah could no longer see the group of men defending the temple, but the sound of agonized screams confirmed her fears.

Shiro was the first to charge. He darted toward one of the hind legs, hoping to disable it by hacking it off. The dragons reflexes were as quick as lightning, and snapped its jaws at Shiro.

But their father dove between its teeth and his son, thrusting his sword valiantly.

Ilah's disbelief washed away as she realized her family was facing mortal danger. She sprinted weakly toward the other side of the dragon's head, shield raised, and began to brew a ball of fire in her hand.

It was nearly strong enough to be thrown, but just as her wrist moved to release it directly toward the serpent's eye, its head snapped again, pulling away her father's sword in its teeth.

She yelped like a wounded animal, diving behind her shield. It pounded its skull against her barrier, cracking it with ease, and sending her flying backwards.

Ilah crumpled on the ground, air forced from her lungs, head spinning. The splintered shield fell a few feet from her, but she paid it no heed now- it was useless. She heard the clash of steel all around, screams, fire... But she also smelled blood, and saw the great legion of dragons now descending on the entire city like a tornado.

_Far too many to fight... No one will survive. It's hopeless._

Her nerves felt shattered as she watched a dragon chewing on the corpse of a woman as it perched on the peak of a burning roof.

_Heartbreaking..._

Snapping out of her state, she finally noticed Shiro desperately calling her name. Stumbling to her feet, she wobbled a bit as her head still swam. She let out a cry of horror as she saw Shiro looking at her, panic stricken, as he desperately defended their father's body.

He was strewn on the ground, breathing uneasy, with a hand clamped over a fang imbedded in his chest.

Ilah's jaw hung wide as she soaked in the sight. But then another thing caught her attention- a spark of hope. The dragon that was blocking the soldiers from reaching us took flight, darting into the sky like an arrow.

If they could just help us, we could save him. Fire began blasting at the dragon's back, and he snarled in protest. Ilah did her best to throw fire at him too, but all it seemed to do was extinguish flames that were already clinging to it's back.

Ilah tossed and threw fire as furiously as she could, tears raining from her eyes with anger. The dragon seemed mildly angered, but not harmed at all. No pain flickered in it's catlike, yellow eyes.

Shiro managed to jab his weapon at its tongue, which sent it into a seething rage. It ripped the spear from his hands, tossed it aside, and then headbutted Shiro with crippling force.

Ilah darted forward to help, but as she approached it spat a trickle of flames in her direction- she raised her palms defensively to her face.

Her bending was enough to keep her from being burned alive, but she fell backwards as the swirling heat pressed down upon her.

Without pausing for a moment, the dragon poised itself like a snake poised to strike. Ilah's heart faltered the moment she realized its eyes were locked on her father's still body.

Time slowed in slow motion as she watched orange licks of fire lap at her father's body. The scream he emitted... Ilah closed her eyes, overwhelmed, tears still flooding out of the corners of her eyes.

Shiro shouted desperately, indistinct words twinged with rage.

I'll be next, Ilah thinks morbidly. Her body refused to rise, attempt to run, attempt anything at all. It can't be real. This is a dream. A horrible nightmare. Breath refused to come back to her, emotional numbness choking her lungs.

The only noise Ilah could hear was her pounding, aching heart. But one noise shattered the stillness of her pumping blood like glass; A blood curdling scream, emitted from Shiro.

_Not him too._

Ilah gritted her teeth and threw herself to her feet. Her heart felt like exploding as she saw Shiro lying limp in the monsters mouth, eyes wide, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

All of Ilah's emotions come flooding to her at once. Fury, hatred, despair. She couldn't lose her brother too. Her father wouldn't want that.

The arms in her muscles tensed as her fire-bending was fortified with her anger. Tossing flames furiously at every inch of its skin she could muster, she began growling with loathing as she attacked.

Her energy waned after the short burst, and as the smoke cleared she did nearly no damage to its skin armored with scales at all.

Shiro croaked, sputtering blood, as he reached out to Ilah."Ilah..." The creature simply held his body in its teeth, torturing him slowly.

_This beast killed my father, and now I'm going to sit by and watch it torture my brother?_

No.

**NO.**


	7. Chapter 7

Her body moved beyond her control. Skin suddenly burning to the touch, all limbs numb and tingling. She felt it, but it was also as if she stepped out of her own body and watched. The world was tinted blue and time slowed.

Ilah's arms curled forward, muscles tense, as she pulled her fingers tightly into fists. All her energy was projected at the Dragon, her hatred boiling over. Sharp jolts of energy left her as she bended the dragon to her will.

She wanted it to die in the most painful way she could imagine. With all the power of the universe flowing at her fingertips, she froze the blood of the serpent solid. Not instantly- she wanted it to suffer. Slowly it began to howl in pain, dropping Shiro from its jaws, it began to writhe in agony.

Its movements became jagged and then stopped completely, freezing like a statue. Ilah couldn't hear the screams of terror and of joy emanating from the people that witnessed what she had just done. All she heard was the echoing of thousands of voices, as if haunting her like a legion of ghosts.

She thought of nothing, only hatred. With one swift movement, she open her palms and flung her arms behind her back. The frozen dragon bended to her will, shattering into bendable pieces, sending mirror like chucks twirling into the sky.

Each sliver flew off into its own direction, targeting and attempting to penetrate skulls of other dragons.

Ilah felt no satisfaction, nor did she feel herself return to her body as her emotions began to soothe. Instead, her body slipped into a white void. Her consciousness returned to her, and she bolted upright from where she once laid.

She saw thousands of faces. Towering above her, all aligned in a circle around her, reaching so far into the heavens that she could never count them all. At her feet, was a man.

His presence felt... right. Compared to the walls of faces staring down at her kindly. Ilah felt this man was trustworthy, and somehow, perfect. A stern look in his face peaked through his meager facial hair. His garb was obviously from the water bending tribe.

He eased himself to one knee, to attempt to match Ilah's eye level.

"Ilah." he said curtly, placing one hand on her shoulder. Immediately Ilah's mind began racing with questions, but she was interrupted before she could choose one.

"I am Kai. The first avatar in existence" his grip tightened on her shoulder, hinting at his urgency.

"You are too weak to fight Xiang on your own." Kai said, standing up once more.

"I've never done so before... But I am to take control of your body and reveal my true form."

Ilah eased herself down from her elbows, beginning to soak in that she must be dreaming.

Taking a step back, Kai gave her one final concerned glance before looking o the heavens, spreading his arms.

"Please stay strong Ilah, we can't afford to lose you."

Light burst forth from both of them. All of Ilah's control slipped from her body. Muscles convulsed as she gasped for breath, suddenly unable to breathe.

In the mortal world, Ilah's body formed a cocoon of wind around herself as Kai took hold of her body. The corpses of dragons all around fell like birds dying in the sky.

As the cyclone dispersed around him, Kai stepped forward calmly. No panic or fear was in his gestures. Instead, he waited patiently for the great black figure above him to land. It collided with the earth carelessly.

It's black body was monstrously sized for a dragon, covered in bloodied barbs and spines, its white eyes flashing with rage.

"My old friend..." Xiang said, with mock fondness. He began to circle Kai hungrily.

Kai just barely poised himself to attack, carefully ensuring to show no anxiety. "The time of hunting the avatar is over, Xiang."

Xiang said nothing, but chuckled cruelly in a voice stolen from the spirit world. The dragon then tried to lung at Kai as he rounded around his back, but Kai launched himself into the air with a push of earth bending and then air bending to forward his climb.

Xiang shot up, twisting and spitting fire as he struggled to keep up with the Avatar's immaculate speed. The first avatar, the most purest avatar of them all, had more power than anyone could ever imagine.

Kai deflected all of the flames, shooting lightning and sharp gusts of air back at Xiang, but he weaved to dodge every attack.

As Kai reached the height of his jump, Xiang seized his opportunity to try to snatch him up in his teeth. Kai became furious at his attempt, exploding with a storm of lightning, growling angrily.

He threw a flame powered punch to the side of Xiang, causing him to spiral downwards.

Kai used his air bending to force himself flying back down to the earth. He collided violently with the earth, seething with rage. Ground at his feet shattered into bits, causing an enormous shock wave to erupt across the ground. People howled in terror as mountains erupted from almost nothing, peaks and canyons suddenly springing to life.

The avatar stood, slightly hunched over, panting, but also grinning manically at Xiang who landed on the ground, watching the destruction in amazement.

"So, will you kill me then?" he asked playfully. "I've been waiting so long for this day."

Kai gritted his teeth, enraged such an insolent spirit mocked him. With a moment to spare, he mentally checked on Ilah's state.

She was cradled in the arms of another spirit. The spirit was alarmed at Kai's return, but didn't hesitate to speak.

"If you deprive her body of her soul any longer she'll die." her voice quivered with fear. "Please, hurry! Or she'll die in the avatar state and we will cease to exist!"

Kai felt her concern, and immediately returned to the mortal world, guilt stricken from the sight of Ilah's gasping form.

He was running out of time. He wouldn't even have enough time to kill Xiang. He gathered all of his power, feeling heat churning underneath his feet. The most strenuous feat he would ever preform.

Xiang lunged at him once more, making quick of the 20 meters that separated them. But Kai reacted with perfect timing.

With all the power he could summon, He ripped magma directly from the underbelly of the earth, hundreds of miles below the surface. Magma was a terribly difficult thing to work with- but dragons loathed the stuff.

Kai leapt over Xiang, propelling himself with air bending, and encasing him in a wave of lava. Not enough to kill a spirit, he thought while biting on his cheek. With a quick clasp of his hands, he froze the tomb of magma solid.

Hopefully, it would at least buy Ilah some time to escape. From the spirit world, a panicked voice rang.

"Shes slipping away, Kai!"

His heart began to drop, as he looked up to the remaining dragons twirling in the sky, charring the earth with their fire. Even if Xiang was imprisoned for a short amount of time, his followers would still make quick work of Ilah.

He had to be swift if he wanted her to survive. He threw himself into the air with a powerful push of earth bending, sending him skyrocketing into the fray of dragon.

As he reached the height of his jump again, he then span and air bended with all his might. With great effort, he formed a swirling whirlwind of overpowering currents, causing the dragons to churn, no longer able to move on their own.

"Shes... gone..."

Kai took one final push, even more impressive than his last feat, sending the dragons flying in all directions wildly like a tornado that refused to touch the earth. Some would hopefully be killed by the fall, but some others would likely just be scattered miles away...

Kai threw himself to the ground, careful not to injure himself. He stood on the mound which Xiang was trapped and attempted to return to his own world. Was he too late? Did he just cause the line of avatars to cease to exist by suffocating Ilah's spirit?

Careless.

With one final breath, he felt his form slip back into the white void of the spirit world. The rush of mortality and power flowed out of his body, and he collapsed onto the white misty ground.

Ilah was sure she had died. She felt imprisoned in her body, but somehow her skin vibrated in a way that made her believe none of this was real. Her brain was screaming for oxygen, but her lungs had long given up at that point.

Darkness began to creep in...

Ilah's body returned, but fell to the ground, dormant and glowing atop the swell of hardened magma, eyes glowing, hair flowing.

Fire sages approached her in panicked states.

"Shes not breathing" Shouted one, as he grasped at her wrist trying to find her pulse.

One announced what they all were too afraid to address with a grim tone. "She is still in the avatar state."

Surely she was dead, and the avatar spirit was about to disappear forever.

Ilah was welcoming death, her pain was never ceasing as breath refused to return to her. She began closing her eyes as the energy slowly slipped from her body.

But a voice reached her ears. Suddenly, all her fear and dread was gone, and she was filled with happiness. A light in the far off distance shone like a star, breaking the penetrating emptiness of black.

Energy slowly trickled back into her arm, so she lifted her fingers, reaching weakly to the beacon.

And then all she knew was blackness.

Shiro huddled over his Sister's body, bleeding profusely, hands attempting to stem the blood flow. Tears gathered in his eyes as he weakly uttered her name over and over again in her ear. She had begun to breathe again, but he couldn't stop saying her name.

He was so sure he lost her.


End file.
